Interaction to treat autisim

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Sir, The situation concerning mirror neurones (Science Notebook, Dec 26) appears to be rather more complex than simply their silence in people with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD).

I work with children and adults with severe ASD and very often learning disabilities, using the effective approach known as intensive interaction. Introduced by the psychologist Gary Ephraim in the late 1970s, the method works through imitation, using a person’s body language to develop communication.

What is clear is that, while people on the spectrum may not respond easily to external gestures/sounds, they do respond most readily if the initiative they witness is